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    Home » Recipes » One Pan Meals

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    Published: Apr 4, 2019 / Modified: May 12, 2020 by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN / This post may contain affiliate links / Leave a Comment

    • 19
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    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice
    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice
    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice
    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    A fun spin on traditional fried rice, using orzo pasta and two types of spring peas! This Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice is healthier than take-out and an easy weeknight meal.

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    If you follow me on Instagram, you may already know that last week I had to get a few stitches in my thumb due to a kitchen mistake. I was using a sharp knife to “unstick” frozen veggie patties for lunch, and well, that wasn’t the smartest idea! 

    Fortunately, I only needed three stitches and I was able to get them done right at an Urgent Care clinic. (Did you know they do stitches?! I didn’t!). Thumbs up for Urgent Care!

    Ok, ok, I digress. Moral of the story? I needed to come up with some recipes that were pretty light on chopping for this week’s blog posts.

    That’s where this Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice comes into play. I had this recipe in mind for a few weeks, but originally planned for it to go live at the end of the month. But since it requires almost no chopping, I switched up my content calendar and whipped it up for this week, stitched thumb and all!

    So what’s the deal with orzo? If you’re not familiar with it, orzo is technically a pasta but it’s shaped like a grain. So if you’re kind of bored with grains at the moment, subbing orzo might just be what you need. 

    How to Make Orzo Fried Rice

    The longest part of preparing this fried rice is cooking the orzo, and it doesn’t take long at all! But if you’re interested in cutting down the prep time for this recipe, I’d suggest making the orzo in advance and keeping it in the fridge until you’re ready to whip up the fried rice for dinner one night.

    Here’s what else you’ll need for this dish:

    • Olive oil
    • Garlic
    • Green peas (use fresh or thawed, frozen ones)
    • Snap peas
    • Soy sauce
    • Eggs

    Once you have all of your ingredients, heat up some olive oil in a large skillet, add the garlic, and let it cook for a bit. Throw in the snap peas and green peas and let them cook. Then add the orzo and soy sauce, followed by a few beaten eggs. Once the eggs set, mix it all up…and dinner is served!

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    If you don’t pre-cook the orzo, simply prep it right before you want to make the fried rice. It should only add on 15-20 minutes to the total cooking time. I found that the best ratio for preparing two cups of orzo (which is what I used for the recipe) was ⅔ cup uncooked orzo to two cups of boiling water.

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice is pretty much a complete meal in itself, with non-starchy veggies (snap peas), carbs (orzo, peas), and protein (from the eggs and the peas!). You could even add some cashews or sesame seeds for a healthy fat. Simple, nutritious, and balanced!

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    If you’re in the mood for more peas, check out:

    • Green Pea Smoothie with Mint
    • Parmesan Peas and Shallots
    • Sugar Snap Pea Quinoa Salad
    • Paprika and Garlic Roasted Peas

    And for a similar meal, try the Baby Portobello Mushroom Stir Fry or Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Ramen.

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    Spring Pea Orzo Fried Rice

    A fun twist on classic fried rice using orzo pasta and two types of peas. Better and healthier than take-out!
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    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 15 mins
    Total Time: 20 mins
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 455kcal
    Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 5 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
    • 1 cup green peas - fresh or thawed, frozen ones
    • 1 cup snap peas - sliced in half
    • ⅓ cup soy sauce
    • 2 cups orzo - cooked
    • 3 eggs - beaten
    • Sesame seeds or cashews - for serving, optional
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    Instructions

    • If you did not prep the orzo in advance, boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Add ⅔ cup dry, uncooked orzo to the boiling water and cook for ~8 minutes until tender (or according to package instructions).
    • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the green and spring peas, then cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until they start to get tender.
    • Add the orzo and soy sauce and cook for a few minutes. Push the orzo and veggie mixture to one side of the skillet and add the beaten eggs to the other side.
    • Wait for the eggs to set on the bottom and then use a spatula to mix the stir fry together.
    • Serve warm with a dash more soy sauce to taste, and sesame seeds or cashews as a garnish!

    Notes

    This recipe can be doubled or tripled to serve bigger families. You'll just need to use a bigger skillet! If you want to decrease the sodium content, use low sodium soy sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 1323mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1444IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @its_a_vegworld_afterall and follow me today!

    And remember, don’t use a sharp knife when you don’t need to! 

    Lizzie

    More One Pan Recipes

    • Chicken and Leek Risotto
    • Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
    • Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Skillet with Quinoa
    • Tuscan White Bean Skillet
    • 19

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    Welcome! I'm Lizzie, a Registered Dietitian and cookbook author who loves vegetables. And I'm here to help you love them too! My easy, veggie-forward recipes will help you get comfortable in the kitchen and celebrate the seasons.

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    Meal Prep Recipes

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